Typically, gas turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air, a combustor for mixing the compressed air with fuel and igniting the mixture, and a turbine blade assembly for producing power. Combustors often operate at high temperatures that may exceed 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Typical turbine combustor configurations expose turbine blade assemblies to these high temperatures. As a result, turbine blades must be made of materials capable of withstanding such high temperatures. Turbine blades and other components often contain cooling systems for prolonging the life of the blades and reducing the likelihood of failure as a result of excessive temperatures.
Turbine blades typically extend radially from a rotor assembly and terminate at a tip within close proximity of the outer air seals attached to a shroud. The outer air seals may be exposed to the hot combustion gases and, similar to the turbine blades, the outer air seals often rely on internal cooling systems to reduce stress and increase the life cycle. Conventional cooling systems in the outer air seals often require large cooling fluid supply flows. Thus, a need exists for a more efficient cooling system for a turbine blade outer air seal.